Martian buttes and mesas rising above the surface are eroded remnants of ancient sandstone that originated when winds deposited sand.
This image, snapped by Curiosity’s Mast Camera (or Mastcam for short), represents the rover’s last stop in the Murray Buttes, where it’s been driving for just over a month.
The Mastcam consists of two camera systems – one is high-resolution to study the landscape from afar while the other has a moderate-resolution lens.
Originally published by Cosmos as Studying Martian buttes up close
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